Yes, I know we are not allowed to trap in CA without all sorts of red tape; however, if you ever decide to get up off your duff and try...here are some tips.

Squirrel

For squirrel, move into an area where there are large oaks with acorns or other large nut and bud bearing trees. Locate cuttings (nut acorn shells the squirrels have cracked open with their teeth. If you can locate a den tree with the bark worn off near entrance holes, sit yourself down at dawn and wait without moving or making noise. This is hard if it is cold..wait.

Squirrels feed at dawn and in the late evening, so you will see them scampering around on logs and in trees. Use a 22 or an air rifle to shoot one and note where it lands on the ground, but sit still, and soon, you might have another one move. Ive shot as many as 6 by just sitting and spotting them and shooting them. Early morning and late evening for shooting squirrels.

Rabbit

Rabbits live in overgrown fields and thickets. First make sure there and no people around and then move into an overgrown field. Move along kicking clumps of grass in order to "jump" a rabbit. Unless you are a superb rifle shot, you won't hit a running rabbit, but wait quietly...the rabbit will make a circle, and eventually come back to its nest. It will hop a few hops and stop. When it stops is when you shoot.

You might carry a shotgun if you have one. The H&R Handy Gun is an excellent inexpensive survival gun. You can get these in large bore 308 and with an extra 20 guage barrel that snaps on. You can lash the extra barrel to your pack frame However, Shotgun shells are rather heavy if you carry a lot of them, but a few buckshot shells and a box of bird shot might be worthwhile, especially if you have time to cache some stores ahead of time. You can shoot game on the run, but shotguns make a hell of a noise compared to a 22 or an air rifle.

Deer

As you travel and patrol, look for deer watering spots and crossings. Locate yourself in a tree or concealed behind a blind of leafy vegetation upwind from where the deer cross. You will get one chance. When the deer approaches, aim carefully. If you are accurate, you will have a weeks worth of excellent meat.

Do not handle rabbit meat if you have cuts on your hands since rabbits sometimes carry the germs for tularemia (rabbit fever). After cooking or roasting, rabbit meat is ok.

You can eat deer raw if you like if the deer looks healthy. A deer is just a glorified goat.

Handle fresh squirrel with care, but they are usually not diseased.

In case you kill a bear or wild hog, under no circumstances should you eat it raw or undercooked since these animals have tiny worms in the meat that causes Trichinosis in humans and this will kill you. For my part, I will cook all wild and domestic meat rather well before I eat it.

Small birds or ducks or geese

You can use yor air rifle or 22 or shotgun to kill any kind of small bird. Even small birds have a sizable breast that is nice little morsel when you are hungry.

Ducks and turkey and geese can be killed on the water with a rifle or shotgun, but small bird shot in a shotgun will not do the job. You need No 4 or larger shot shells. You can hang these birds after removing the insides and slice strips of meat from them to add to the cook pot.

In cold weather, meat will last about a week and sometimes two before it begins to spoil. In predator country, hang it high so that predators will not raid your camp and steal it. In bear country, hang it some distance from the heart of your camp so you won't have to argue with a bear over it.

For more fun and exciting stuff, come visit me at Prepare to Survive in California: http://www.preparetosurviveincalifornia.blogspot.com

Good thoughts. I did not know that about California and trapping.YeOldFurt

Anonymous
said...
December 31, 2009 at 11:59 PM

Did not know about California and trapping.

If you are in the foothills and higher, just put out platform or flat bird feeders on your deck and the squirrels WILL come. They will also destroy the siding on your house and love to tease the cats on the other side of the windows which resulted in several broken windows.

It is easy to get a permit to shot "cowbirds" which are attracted to the feeders. I doubt anyone would notice a missing squirrel or two. However, only use air rifles this close to a house.